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Coen brothers appreciation thread

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Jotaro

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You know, reading about what movies got nominated at the Oscars, which got rolled, which will win and will not, made me really feel for those poor underdogs that will never make it big. So while watgin Chris Rock, you should also participate in this thread about what I feel are the most original, innovative, interesting, and influencial directors today, but who always get forgotten to video oblivion in the end, movies producers, writers and directors Joel and Ethan Coen.

Blood Simple
Raizing Arizona
Miller's Crossing
Barton Fink
The Hudsucker Proxy
Fargo
The Big Lebowski
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Man Who Wasn't There
Intolerable Cruelty
The Ladykillers

Are all their movies, and I have them all on DVD (it might very well happen to you). They do a new genre in every movie they make, everything is original, innovative setups, dark humor, shady characters and villains (no one is ever black or white), recurring comedians (John Goodamn, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, etc). The most underrated movie makers ever IMHO. I love every single one of their movies I have seen.

I did not saw Intolerable Cruelty nor The Ladykillers, as my brain tumor fucked up my senses and forbids me from doing so (or watching any animation or listening to any sound coming from speakers), since october 2003. And I heard that the Coens lost their style, they made non-original movies, used gimmicks which I find to be an outrage, etc etc... but I still had to buy the DVDs because their name was on it, understand! :)

What are your favorite movies, comedians, characters, quotes from these cinematic movie-magic crafters?

I like The Big Lebowski the most, it's my personal favorite movie of all time (as opposed to the best movie of all time), I will never forget it. :)

John Turturro, I find the best recurring comedian, by far.

Characters, Walter in The Big Lebowski, easily.

"You see Larry? You see what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass?"
"Has this whole world went crazy? Am I the only one remaining who thinks there still are rules to follow?"

Goodman ROCKED in that flick. :)
 
Miller's Crossing is my favorite of theirs, and in my top ten ever. I'd love to see them do another dark crime flick in the vein of this or Blood Simple, but I don't see it happening. Their last two pictures have been awful; hard to believe it's even the same guys making them.

Pretending those two recent "efforts" dont exist, I own all of their stuff except Raising Arizona (which I absolutely hate) and Hudsucker. It's been a long time since I've seen it, so I don't know that I'd even enjoy it now, but it's on a perpeptual "buy at some point" list nonetheless.
 
I still havent seen blood simple, though I have had multiple chances. My friend owns it so I will see it soon either way. Favorite is Big Lebowski by far.
 
Jotaro said:
Miller's Crossing
O Brother, Where Art Thou?

I've seen most of their films but IMO the above two are easily their best. I'm not a terribly big fan of the Coen Brothers though, and find them to be a bit overrated. But again the above two movies are fantastic.
 
Optimistic said:
I've seen most of their films but IMO the above two are easily their best. I'm not a terribly big fan of the Coen Brothers though, and find them to be a bit overrated. But again the above two movies are fantastic.

If it were not for the soundtrack, would it be a good movie? The Coens never made a dime, but the soundtrack sold millions of copies, won a grammy for record of the year. Still a good lighthearted fun. :)

Miller's Crossing I really love, but I like more the other more intricated Coens films. The photography is superb, especially the autumn scenes in the forest with Tom and with Bernie. Barry Sonnenfeld did a wonderfull job here.
 
The Ladykillers was damn awesome and I think up there with the rest of their movies. I don't see how anyone can watch that and say "that sucks".
 
I don't think they're underrated, because they've got plenty of fans of their own, but they didn't get enough big prizes for sure.

I've seen (from best to worst) :

Fargo - Great, great flick, one of the best of the 90s.

Big Lebowski - One of the best comedies of the 90s.

Blood Simple - Very cool movie. Only seen once, but I was incredibly surprised. It LOOKS great, and the plot makes a lot of sense. I loved it.

The Man Who Wasn't There - One of my top 15-20 favorite movies released in 2001. Very good.

Miller's Crossing - Very overrated movie. Plot sometimes too complex for its own good, and well, not that exciting. The movie "looks" great, as all Coen flicks do, but it's not enough to be "one of the best gangster movies ever", as being stated by numerous Coen fanboys.

Intolerable Cruelty - A very, very run-of-the mill flick, bordering on awful sometimes.
 
happyfunball said:
The Ladykillers was damn awesome and I think up there with the rest of their movies. I don't see how anyone can watch that and say "that sucks".

Coens never use gimmicks. A strached sound of a vynil ending abruptly? People gradually applauding and everyone doing so in the end? These things make people hate that movie, and I heard Tom Hanks overacts and is annoying.
 
Jotaro said:
If it were not for the soundtrack, would it be a good movie? The Coens never made a dime, but the soundtrack sold millions of copies, won a grammy for record of the year. Still a good lighthearted fun. :)

It would still be a good movie, but it certainly wouldn't be as good. I mean, I haven't got the soundtrack, and have never thought about buying it - it's not the music itself that makes OBWAT but the way in which it blends with the film in general. The music was just one of many ingredients that made it such a good movie - the cinematography was fantastic, the plot was fresh and original (yeah yeah, loosely based around The Odyssey), and the whole thing had this strange, nostalgic and otherworldly sense to it, almost like a fairytale. Also, OBWAT avoided the poor pacing that often seems to make it into other Coen Brothers films, IMO.
 
The Man Who Wasn't There is probably their most underrated movie.

That said, The Big Lebowski is easily my favorite.
 
Big Lebowski, Barton Fink and Fargo are three of my favorite movies, and I really like a lot of their other stuff, including Raising Arizona. I love the Coens bros.
 
I'd have to say that O! Brother, Where Art Thou is my favorite. I have a soft spot for that movie because I'm from the South. I enjoyed Ladykillers, but the entire movie just seemed too pat.
 
I don't think I've ever laughed harder than I did the first time I watched the Big Lebowski. Walter, The Dude, Donny and Jesus are characters you never forget.

Is this your homework, Larry?
Is this your homework, Larry?
Is this your homework, Larry?
 
I have to admit i've only caught glimpses of most of their movies but i've seen all of Ladykillers, which I thought was flat-out hilarious
 
My favorite is O Brother but Raising Arizona holds a special place in my heart. It's the first movie I saw by them and I thought it fuckin rocked back in the day with its crazy ass sense of humor and weirdness. As for Ladykillers, I think Tom Hanks was incredible in that movie, much better than his serious roles. His character was over the top definitely, but I dont think he overacted at all. I think people just get a weird feeling about it because the ending is kinda depressing and people usually like coming out of the theatre feeling happy....just my 10 cents
 
Big Lebowski is amazing. That and Swingers are the two timeless comedy classics for me in the 90's. Every character in there just rocked. Walter is brilliant, The Dude is a role model, Donny's great, Jesus is hilarious! I can watch that movie over and over. I still quote lines from it all the time when the oppurtunity presents itself.
 
not enough The Hudsucker Proxy love in this thread!!

Big Lebowski is great!! I got to see an advance screening of O' Brother Where Art Thou? here in Seattle. It was pretty sweet, they had a blue grass band playing before the movie started :D
 
What I always wondered about The Dude is, if he smokes pot over and over again, he lives in a house, and he does not works, and he cannot even pay for some very important thing, how can he afford such things?
 
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is my favorite one by far.

I enjoyed The Hudsucker Proxy as well. That and Shawshank Redemption are Tim Robin's best movies IMO.
 
Is there anything that is being said in The Big Lebowski that cannot make a great quote, come to think of it? I think not.
 
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